11:05 pm: Finally home-- and it wasn't pretty. Here's what Jack had to say.
"Discipline" and "Better decisions with the puck." Um, the Islanders didn't take a single penalty and Jack may also need better decisions.
Or he could have just said, stop being stupid. But what I didn't realize until I got home to hear it in a very loud tone from the inhabitants of my household was Jack's decision to put Mark Streit in there when the game was on the line in the shoot out.
Mark Streit may be the Captain of this team, but he's a defenseman who is 0 for 5 in the shoot out.
Was that a good decision? Shouldn't another forward have been put in to save the game. I realize he already blew what he thought he had to win in a very tired Frans Nielsen, a slightly hobbled Matt Moulson and the star of the night, John Tavares.
I found it curiuos that as the Captain, Mark Streit was not in the room for the media scrum. It was left (once again) to JT to face the music along with Matt Moulson, Andy MacDonald, Travis and Matt Martin. Perhaps there were one or two others, but those are the guys the cameras gathered around. No Nabokov and most importantly, NO CAPTAIN.
No matter how bad the loss, Bill Guerin or Doug Weight would address the media. They knew it wouldn't be easy, but it was their job. Where was he?
Another lead squandered in the "learning" process. JT even told WRHU radio they have to learn how to win.
School's almost out fellas.
9:37 pm: A shoot out on a Tuesday night with almost 12k in the building. Just.win.the.damn.game.
9:25 pm: Nabokov has to play without his stick for a good stretch of time and when the puck is finally cleared from the Isles zone, Ovechkin injuries his own goalie by getting him caught between his stick and the post. play stops with 39.3 seconds of the third to go.
Neuvirth stays in net while play continues.
9:19 pm: Since the time out the play has spent more time in the Caps end of the ice, but no change in the score.
9:09 pm: yep, I'm about to puke. Freakin' Alexander Ovechkin gets to take three swipes at the puck in Nabokov's crease until it goes over his shoulder and in for the tying goal.
Jack actually uses his time out this time, but to add injury to insult, on #8's next shift he actually knocked Hamonic down and skated over him. No call, no whistle, no retaliation. NO heart.
9:04 pm: Beagle takes another penalty and sits in the box. The Isles need to convert on this one to give them a little breathing room. Hunter is NOT happy, but neither is Cappy.
JT out on the ice hoping to regain that hatrick.
8:55 pm: And here we go again, 1:51 of the third and Michael Grabner lets number 81, Dmitry Orlov just walk right in and shoot on Nabokov while Jurcina was taking a knee in Nabby's crease. UGH.
If this team loses again, I'll puke. The life has been sucked out of this building.
8:34 pm: At 19:07, the Ovechkin train rolled in and scored their 2nd goal. Can't contain him forever. Nope.
8:27 pm: Good News/Bad News. Isles 1st goal has been changed from JT to Moulson for his 30th of the season. JT ALSO has 30 goals on the season but does not have a hat trick. He's got two. But he's got another 25 minutes to get another. No pressure.
8:21 pm: Johnny on the Spot at 11:44 of the 2nd scores another weird goal as the puck went in and out of the net so fast, we weren't even sure if it went in. Hat Trick for JT with Kyle Okposo on his wing.
Brad Kurtzberg from Inside Hockey said it's because he has more room.
8:12 pm: Alex Ovechkin gets caught for hooking Josh Bailey at 8:59 of the 2nd and JT pounds one in whiel Neuvirth is down in his creas. Two power play goals and Dale Hunter's head looks like it's going to explode. I worried a little with all the replays, it looked like it went off his skate.
While we were still writing, Wideman scored for the Caps while Nabby was screened.
Boo hiss, but we do get Wendy's Chili.
SOG now 16 - 9 in favor of the Isles.
8:06 pm: Isles on the power play with 14:21 left of the second as Beagle takes a penalty.
Isles are 12 - 7 in SOG tonight so far. But we all know how that two goal lead can run away from them.
7:41 pm: Well, another flukie goal on the caps youngster. Power play goal by Travis Hamonic with assists by JT and Nielsen. And one for Neuvirth too.
7:34 pm: Isles doing a good job defending against the Caps.
7:21 pm: That was the flukiest goal I have ever seen in my life. Moulson shoots JT tries to jump out of the way of it, he tips it upward over the cage, it falls back down and bounces off Neuvirth's chest and into his own net.
That's one for the highlight reels!
7:10 pm: Ceremonial puck drop with NYPD officer Kevin Brennan. Nice touch. He received a standing O from everyone.
6:41 pm: Mark Eaton is out on the ice, I take it that means he's well enough to play.
2:22 pm: And because the Islanders can't catch a break, newly signed Mike Halmo has been suspended by the OHL "indefinitely" for the hit on March 10th.
11 am: Yes, Nabokov in net and PA Parenteau will be out of the line-up with "an upper body injury." Jack will go with 7 D in warmups tonight. I imagine that will bring Kyle Okposo back onto JT's wing without PA there.
10:54 am: Damn. Nabokov off the ice first. Must mean he's getting the nod. I was hoping it was Al. For no other reason than he's been sitting for a long time and could use the work. I believe in him. But you've got to see where he's at when it comes to game shape. If he's ready to sit on the bench to back up Nabby, then he should also be ready to step in the net.
10:38 am: Full team skate at 10:30 this morning at the Coliseum. Only one NOT on the ice was PA Parenteau. Hmmm.... Flu? Rest? Injury? Will know after morning skate.
7 am: While the GMs are in Boca Raton discussing possible rule changes and playing golf, the Islanders had a day off yesterday. Okay, well sort of. It seems when they tell us they have a day off they still come in for weight training and other things. it's more like a day off from having to deal with people shoving recorders in their faces.
The Capitals are on a roll and trying to hold onto that last spot. They can't afford to lose any ground or leave any points in Uniondale. Nope. They will probably play that way. While Ovi has been far from the Great 8 of old, he does manage to come up big when he needs to. He'll need to.
All we can hpe for is that the Isles just don't give up. The worst thing they can do to their fans and for their own well being. They HAVE got to play as if it means something and right now what it means is their jobs.
What Jack Capuano calls passengers will be identified and replaced. If there is a lack of passion and desire to win on the ice, it will be noticed. It's time for the once excellent penalty kill unit to find their confidence again and for the power play to find the net. Whether it means a post season or not, it may mean the next contract -- or not.
Matt Moulson is one goal away from 30 for this year. He's not the problem. Grabner has a long way to go to meet last year's production. After losing to the Capitals the last time out in a heartbreaking fashion, tonight they should find a way to break Caps' fans hearts instead.
Just win. Just find a way to win.
Anders Nilsson and Michael Haley were returned to Bridgeport yesterday as Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and Al Montoya should all be ready to play. The biggest question will be if Al gets the game action today after sitting out for so very long. I haven't heard anything on Mark Eaton's back spasms, but last time Bailey was out with back spasms he missed a boatload of games.
After Sunday's tough loss Frans Nielsen told the media "They outworked us when it counted. That's the bottom line. We have to be better. We made some good plays but not enough good plays."
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